Threading attachment for stop-motions.



W. LARKIN.

THREADING ATTACHMENT FOR STOP MOTIONS.

APPLICATICN FILED DEC-2, I9I6.

Patented May 1, 1917.

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W. LARKIN.

THREADING ATTACHMENT FOR STOP MOTIONS. APPLICATION FILED DEC.2. 191s.

1,226,53, Patented May15,1917.

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W. LARKIN. THHEADING ATTACHMENT FOR STOP MOTIONS. APPLICATION FILED DEC-2,1916.

1,2Q6,53@ Patented May15,1917.

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W. LARKiN. THREADING ATTACHMENT FOR STOP MOTIONS.

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WALTER LanKIN, or PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR T0 H. :BnINToN rr sins a COIVLPANY, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYL- VANIA.

To all auwm it may concern:

Be it known that I, HALTER LAR IN, a citizen of v the United States, residing in Philadehohia, Pennsylvania, have invented a Threading ij lttaehment for Stoplvlotions, of which the following is a specification.

One object of my invention is to provide a relatively simple, substantial and inexpen-.

sire device for mechanically threading the sweeps of the stop motion of a knitting machine ;-the arrangement of parts being such that the threading may be accomplished with the utmost convenience, speed and certainty.

It is further desired to provide a device of the character described which may be easily applied to a majority of the standard forms of knitting machines whereby it shall be possible to quickly replace a thread in the loop or hook of one or more of the sweeps of a stop motion, and which the threading arm or illll'lS if desired may be supported adjacent said sweeps in such position as to prevent the thread jumping out of their hooks or loops under operating conditions.

These ob ects' and other advantageous ends I secure as hereinafter set forth, ref-,

erence being had to the accompanylng drawings, in which,

Figure 1 is an end elevation of a well known form of stop motion, illustrating my invention as applied thereto;

2 is a side elevation of certain of the parts shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a plan partly in section illustrating the detail construction of the threading arms; 7

Figs. land 5 are respectively front and side elevations of a slightly modified form of my invention;

Figs. 6 to 10 inclusive are diagrammatic perspective views illustrating the operation of the invention;

Figs. 11 and 12 are respectively front and side elevations of a form of the invention in which thethreading arms are pivotally supported on their carrier; 1

Fig. 13 isa side elevation showing my invention as des'igned to deliver thread to the two thread supporting hooks of a well known form of stop motion;

Fig. 14L is a perspective view illustrating the threading member shown in Fig. 13;

Specification of Letters Patent.

the knitting machine.

THREADING ATTACHMENT FOR STOP-MOTIONS.

Patented May 15, 1917.

Application filed December 2, 1916. ean No. 134,619.

Fig. 15 is a side elevation of another modification of the invention; and

Fig. 16 is a perspective View of a portion of the threading arm shown in Fig. 15.

In the above drawings 1 represents a portion of the frame of a knitting machine serving as the bobbin stand, on which are carried two bobbins 2 and 3. This stand or base structure also supports a column in the form of a rod l onwhose upper end is mounted a casing 5 containing certain of the stop motion mechanism. Also carried by the base 1 and eX'tending parallel to the standard or column 1 is a second rod 6 constituting a brace column rigidly connected by a tie rod 7 to the casing 5 above which it extends for a suitable distance- Also 6X; tending upwardly from the top of the easing 5 is a rod 8 forming in effect a continuation of the column 4: and at its upper end carrying a casing 9 rigidly connected to the top of the brace column 6 by a horizontally extending rod 10.

Said rod projects beyond the brace col umn and at its outer end carries a bearing plate 11 which serves to support the outer ends of the sweeps 12 and 13 whose opposite ends are journaled in the casing 9 where they are operatively connectedthrough suitable means including a wire 1 1 to suitable mechanism for stopping or controlling the operation of the machine.

Projecting horizontally in opposite directions from the casing 5 are a pair of supporting bars 15 carrying at their outer ends thethreadcontrolled devices 16 of the stop motion, and these are operatively connected to the mechanism in said casing, through wires or rods 17; there also being knot catching plates 18 of the well known construction supported by the outer ends of said bars 15. lVhen the machine is in operation, the thread runs from one of the bobbins on the base 1 through a hole in the knot catching plate 18. between the fingers of the adjacent falling finger device 16 and thence through a loop or hook 19 of the sweep arm 12, for example, and down to the thread guide of Heretofore when such a thread broke or for any reason pulled out of the hook of the sweep arm, it was necessary to placeit in a hook or notch of .a rod or hand-threading stick and after chine in the form of a carrier which is slidably or pivotally mounted on a convenient portion of said machine and which supports or includes a hook or equivalent structure designed to receive a thread. Said parts are so arranged that the thread applied to or insorted in the hook when this is in its lowered position, will, when it is raised to a position adjacent the sweep and thereafter lowered, be automatically transferred to the sweep hook. In that embodiment of the invention shown in Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive, I provide a carrier in the form of a tubular structure 20 slidable on the brace column 6 between the tie-rod 7 and the sweep supporting arm 10.

This tube is shown as constructed of a coil of still wire whose ends 21 project in opposite directions from the top portion thereof and terminate in U-shaped thread-carrying hooks 22 whose oppositely placed side members are V-shaped as shown in Fig. 1. The wire constituting this tube 20 projects rearwardly from the lower end of the latter as 1 indicated at 23 and its extremity is hooked or bent back so as to slidably engage a guide rod 24: whose upper end is threaded into a collar 25 slidable on the rod or arm 10.

Immediately under the tube 20 and likewise slidable on the brace column 6 is the hooked or eye-shaped end of an operating rod 26 which extends downwardly and has its lower end in the form of a body 27 so placed as to lie within convenient reach of the operator. The end of the wire constituting this loop is given the hooked form shown at 28, so that after said rod 26 and its associated parts are raised to bring the hooked ends 22 of the threading arms 21 immediately adjacent the hooks 19 of the sweeps and the thread has been delivered to said hooks by a subsequent lowering of the arms, these latter, after said thread has been freed from them, may be returned to and held in their raised position by engaging said part 28 with the rod 7, so as to assist in preventing the thread jumping out of said sweep hooks 2 shown in Fig. 10 The parts of the device normally occupy the positions shown in Figs. 1 and 2, but when for any reason the threadx becomes dislodged from either of the hooks 19 of the sweep arms 12 and 13, it is placed in the hook 22 of the threading arms 21, and by means of the hand rod 26 the tube 20 with these arms is moved upwardly on the brace rod 6.

As the thread carryinghook 22 of either arm approaches the hook 19 of a sweep arm, the various parts occupy the positions shown in Fig. 6, the thread resting at the bottom of the V-shaped side members of said hook in such a position that as the upward movement of the rod 26 and tube 20 is continued, it strikes the underside of the end of the sweep hook as shown in Fig. 7, sliding up on and finally springing over the same as shown in Fig. 8. Thereafter as the rod 26 and tube 20 are lowered, the resulting downward movement of the member 22 brings the thread m into engagement with the upper surface of the projecting portion of the hook 19 as in Fig. 9, after which it slides down said hook into the desired position, Fig. 10.

Obviously either or both of the sweeps may be threaded by this operation of the handle 26 and it is to be particularly noted that even though the thread be disposed in a more or less tangled condition, the act of drawing it upwardly straightens it out so that the machine is in condition to be started immediately upon the return of the threading device to its normal position. If desired, the threading arms may be retained in the positions shown in Fig. 8, slightly above the sweep hooks 19, by placing the hooked end 28 over the tie-rod 7, thus in a large measure preventing the springing of the thread out of said sweep hook as has been found to otherwise occur when the thread is comparatively stiff.

In that form of the invention shown in Figs. t and 5, I substitute a flat body of metal 30 for the tubular wire structure project upwardly and outwardly in a manner similar to that shown in Fig. 1.

In this case I provide an operating handle orbar 32 whose upper end is bent at right angles so as to be permanently though movably connected to the carrier 30, while its lower end as before extends downwardly so as to be within convenient reach of the operator.

In the apparatus shown in Figs. 11 and 12, I provide a sheet or flat metal carrier 33 which while being somewhat similar to that employed in the form of my invention shown in Figs. 4: and 5, has its upper por tion formed to provide a pair of bearings 34k in which the threading arms 35 are pivotally mounted. The outer extremities 22 of said arins have a U-shaped form as in the case of the members 22, and their opposite ends are extended upwardly as indicated at 36. These threading arms are prevented from drop aing below the positions shown in Figs. 11 and 12, by having their portions between the two bearings bent outwardly as indicated at so as' to rest upon the adjacent edges of the carrier 33. It will be noted that the two adjacent or crossed ends of the arms 35 are of such length that when the carrier is moved upwardly by its handle 32 to a sufficient extent, said ends strike the horizontal. connecting arm 10 and are forced downi'vardly thereby, thus causing the threading arms 35 to swing upwardly.

As a result, the thread carriedbetween the two side members of the Ll-shaped ends 22 is drawn over and then above the upwardly projecting end of the sweep hook 19, and thereafter when the handle 32 with the carrier allowed to move downwardly on the brace column 6, the thread as before is left 'in engagement with the top surface of the projecting end of the hook 19, upon which it slips downwardly into the lower part or bottom thereof. As before the operating rod may be retained with its attached parts in an elevated position so that its thread holding hooks 22 remain slightly above the sweep hooks 19, if it should be found that the thread tends to jump out of them.

Instead of the longitudinally slidablecarrier shown. in Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive, I may equip the stop motion with pivotally mounted threading arms as shown in Figs. 15 and 16. In this case I mount a horizontal and transversely extending bar 38 on the brace and main columns 6 and 8 and pivot to it an elongated threading arm 39. This latter is designed to have a relatively short portion with an operating handle 32, and a longer portion whose extremity is formed to provide a double U-shaped thread holding hook 22. Normally this longer arm remains in its lowered position with said handle within easy reach of the operator and its design and mounting is such that when said handle is drawn downwardly, said longer arm swings up, as before transferring to the sweep hook 19, a thread previously laid across its hook.

In that form of my device shown in Figs. 13 and 14, which is particularly designed for use in connection with a form of stop motion having two sets of sweep hooks 19 and thread guiding hooks 40 mounted on opposite sides of the upper end of the brace column 6, I provide a supporting bar 88 clamped or otherwise suitably connected'to the brace and main columns 6 and 8, so as to serve as a support for the pivot of'a pair of threading arms 41-42. Each of these, as shown in Fig. 14, is preferably though not necessarily, made of a single length of wire, and includes two parts 41 and 42, substantially at right angles to each other, with a V-shaped' thread support 43 formed adjacent their point of junction. At the outer end of each of said arms 42 is a second V-shaped thread hook 44 and while these arms normally remain in a lowered position, they may be moved, by a downward pull upon the handle 32f which is common to both of them, so as to bring their two thread carrying hooks 43 and 44 into the positions shown in Fig. 13. A thread cc extending between the hooks of either pair will then be moved into a position above the sweep hook 19 and its guide hook 40, with the result that when the release of the handle 32 permits the threading arms to return to their lowered positions, said thread is directed into and remains in said hooks of the stop motion.

From the above description it will be understood that my invention makes it possible to apply a thread to one or more hooks or holding devices of a structure movably supported upon part of the knitting ma chine in a conveniently accessible position, and thereafter to so operate said structure as to cause this thread to be deposited in the elevated hook or thread receiving members of a stop motion in the position required for proper operation.

Obviously such a device may be applied to existing stop motions with comparative ease and little expense, and when so applied will materially reduce the time and labor necessary to return the thread to the sweeps or other thread receiving members after it has been released from the same either by running out, breakage or by reason of its having been cut. While I have illustrated my device as designed for use with a stop motion employing two sweep arms, it is to be understood that without departing from said invention I may construct it for application to a machine employing but one or any number more than two such arms.

I claim 1. The combination of a stop motion having a relatively elevated and inaccessible thread holding member; with a mechanical device movably mounted on said stop motion for carrying the thread from a lower position and delivering it to said member.

2. The combination of a stop motion having a relatively elevated sweep; with a guided member movable to deliver a thread to said sweep.

3. The combination of a stop motion including an elevated, relatively inaccessible thread receiving sweep; a movably mounted arm; and a holder on said arm placed to transfer thread carried thereby to the sweep when said arm is moved in a predetermined path.

4L. The combination of a relatively elevated sweep; with a mechanically guided arm having a thread carrying portion movable from a low relatively accessible position to an elevated position adjacent the sweep and including means for temporarily sup porting a thread in position to be received and retained by the sweep when said arm is moved through a predetermined path. 5. The combination of a relatively elevated sweep; a movably mounted member having means for supporting a thread, at two separated points; and means for moving the member to cause that part of the thread between said points to move beyond, and thereafter be retained by, the sweep when said memberis moved through a predetermined path. I

6. The combination of an elevated, rela tively movable thread holding member; and means for delivering a thread to said member including a guiding structure; a carrier slidable thereon; with a threading arm mounted on said carrier and movable there by into a position to deliver a thread to said thread holding member.

7. The combination of a vertically ex tending column and a sweepmovably mounted on said column; a carrier slidable on the column; a threading arm on the carrier; and means on said arm for supporting a thread and delivering it to the sweep when the carrier is moved in a predetermined manner upon the column.

8. The combination of a stop motion including a vertically extending column and a sweep including a thread receiving hook having an inclined portion; with a member movably supported on said column and having a thread receiving structure formed to support a thread at two separated points; and means for actuating the member to cause the thread carried thereby to engage the inclined portion of the thread receiving hook and move above the same when said member is moved in one direction and thereafter cause said thread to be retained by said hook when the member is moved in the opposite direction.

9. The combination with a stop motion including a vertically extending structure and a plurality of elevated sweeps, of a carrier slidably mounted on said structure; a plu rality of threading arms on the carrier each including means for supporting a thread at two separated points; with an element for moving the carrier on the structure to cause that part of the thread between said points on eitherarm to be delivered to the corresponding sweep.

10. The combination with a stop motion including a vertically extending structure and a sweep normally inclined upwardly,

of a carrier slidably mounted on said struchook on the arm mounted to cooperate with the sweep to transfer a thread thereto when the carrier is moved from its lower normal position to an elevated position and thereafter returned to said normal position.

12. The combination with a stop motion having a vertically extending structure and a sweep of a wire having one portion slidably engaging said structure and a second portion projecting from said first portion to constitute a threading arm, said arm including a thread supporting hook placed to transfer a thread to the sweep when said wire is moved through a predetermined path on said structure.

13. The combination with a stop motion including a vertically extending structure and a plurality of sweeps, of a body of wire having va portion slidably guided on said structure and including a plurality of threading arms each having hooks formed to support a thread at two separated points; means for moving said wire to bring the hooks of the arms adjacent the sweeps re spectively to cause a thread or threads carried by said hooks to be transferred to said sweeps.

WALTER LARKIN.

copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0. 

